Container toy



May 20 192.4. I 1,494,963

E. L. SMITH CONTAINER TOY Filed March 12. 1923 INVENTOR f/erf L 5021/15 ATTORNEY ToaZZt Jmm it may coma/a.- i

Patented May 20, 1924 PATENT-1()FF1C -.DREDTI-IS' TO.JAMESFL SMITH, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON4.-

. CONTAINER 'roY.

m ses filed Mal-"a i2, 1923. seria n, 624,336.

, eit known that I, ELBERT L'fSirrrr-r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King'and State of Washington, have invented anew and useful Container Toy, of which the following is a speci fication.

My invention has reference to a new article of manufacture, in which a special container for candy or other merchandise can also be utilized, in connection with a rolling object enclosed therein, as an automatic toy. I

The objects of my invention are, to provide a light-weight oblong container, preferably of paper or other inexpensive material, suitable for enclosing candy or other Inerc-handise for retail purposes; and, to provide resistant elements sodisposed adjacent each end of the container, that when the container is emptied of its contents and a marble or suitable candy ball inserted therein, the device will turn somersaults and leap on an in clined surface, the impellingpower being supplied by the longitudinal movement of the object within the container and the force of gravity.

1n the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the device as placed in operative position on an inclined surface, the figures shown by broken lines illustrating different positions it assumes when traveling thereon.

Fig. 2, a side elevation of the device, a lower portion of the container being broken away and shown partly in section to illustrate a ball disposed therein, and a flap for opening or enclosing one end of the container.

Referring more particularly to the drawing. the body 1, made of light-weight material, preferably paper or cardboard, is oblong in form and terminates in outwardly curved ends 2 and 3. 4 denotes a flap which extends around the end 3 for opening the container at said end, and provides a smooth, outwardly curved closure therefor, the flap being maintained in closed position by the strip 5 under which it is inserted.

A pair of feet 6 are located adjacent one end of the container, each extending from a side, disposed oppositely and at right angles to the bottom. A similar pair of feet 7 occupy a reversed relation with respect to the first pair, each foot being thus located adjacent the other end, disposed at right angles to the top or flapsideof the container. In the present embodiment of the invention the body of the device1ismade of paper. Said feet,'n'ecess'arily requiring stifi er material, are cut from cardboard and glued to the sides of the container. Obviop positely ously said sides can be made of cardboard,

or other suitable material and the feet made integral therewith. Or, if desired, a strip of transparent material, such as celluloid or the like, can be utilized for forming the top, bottom, ends and flap, or a transparent insert made in the top orbottom.

The motive power of the toy is provided by a ball 8, shown in Fig. 2. This ball may be of candy, if properly prepared against stickiness, a marble, or a ball of any material adapted to roll freely within the container from end to end, and of sufficient. weight to supply the proper impelling force to actuate the device. I This container-toy, as I term it, initially affords an inexpensive means for enclosing candy, gum or other merchandise for retail purposes. When this function has been performed and the container emptied of its contents, it is utilized as a toy in the following manner. A ball 8 is disposed within the container as shown in Fig. 2 and the toy placed at the top of an inclined surface, as indicated in Fig. 1. VViththe toy in the up right position shown and the ball at the bottom of the container, a slight forward movement of the hand against the top of the toy will give it the necessary impetus to start the ball rolling within the container and toward the other end, causing the toy to assumethe position shown by 9 in Fig. 1. When the ball reaches the other end, its momentum, cooperating with the slight resistance ofv the feet 6 against the incline and the curved end 2, will cause the toy to assume the positions indicated by 10 and 11, thereby making a complete somersault. As the toy goes down the incline it naturally gains momentum and will turn somersaults very rapidly, limited in number only by the lengthof the incline.

The feet of the device are located adjacent the ends so as to afford just enough resistance to turn the toy from end to end, as heretofore described, but not enough to overcome the longitudinal movement of the ball back and forth between the ends when once the toy is started downwardly, and an incline of nine degrees is suificient to eifectuate the result.

. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the resistant'elements here shown as feet could be modified and still produce thesame result, and other changes in and modifications of the construction described may be made Without departing from the spirlt of my invention or sacrificing its advantages,

hence I ask that I be not confined to the spebottom portions and outwardly curved ends merging into said portions, a flap at one end for opening and closing said end, means for securing the flap in closed position, a foot extendingfrom eachside of the body andv at right angles to the top,'said feet being op--.

positely located and adjacent one end, a foot extending from each sideof the body and at right angles to the bottom, said last-named feet being oppositely located and adjacent the other end, and a rolling member disposed Within the body, having longitudinal movement from end to end.

' ELBERT L. SMITH. 

